COVID-19 booster shots are still rolling out slowly in New Westminster.
As of Jan. 25, 42% of adults (aged 18+) in New West had received their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. That's slightly behind the provincial rate of 44.2%, as reported by the Ministry of Health on Jan. 25 – but still an increase from the previous week, when the third-dose rate sat at 34% in New Westminster.
The local booster-dose rollout is moving steadily upwards for all eligible age groups. As of Jan. 18, 77% of adults aged 70 and up had received their third dose, up from 76% the previous week. Among the 50+ crowd, third-dose vaccination is now at 60%, up from 53% the week before. For the 18-to-49 group, third doses moved from 19% to 27%.
First- and second-dose vaccination rates have largely stabilized, all at rates of 90% or higher – with the exception of the pediatric doses for five-to-11-year-olds, which began at the end of November and have just started their Dose 2 rollout. Sixty per cent of that age group has now had one dose, up from 58% last week.
The most-vaccinated age group in New Westminster is the 18-to-49 set. Younger adults have a whopping 97% first-dose vaccination rate and a 95% second-dose rate.
How many New Westminster residents are vaccinated?
Here's how vaccination rates look across the board (last week's numbers in brackets):
First dose:
5-11: 60% (58%)
12+: 95% (95%)
12-17: 94% (94%)
18+: 95% (95%)
18-49: 97% (97%)
50+: 93% (93%)
70+: 94% (94%)
Second dose:
12+: 93% (93%)
12-17: 90% (90%)
18+: 93% (93%)
18-49: 95% (95%)
50+: 91% (91%)
70+: 92% (92%)
Third dose:
12+: 40% (32%)
18+: 42% (34%)
18-49: 27% (19%)
50+: 60% (53%)
70+: 77% (76%)
Are you still waiting for your booster shot? Are you planning to get a third dose? If you have any thoughts to share, email reporter Julie MacLellan.
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, [email protected].
